Our Mission
The mission of the Institute for Global Health is to engage the global Christian community in the exploration and application of biblical revelation, scientific evidence, and cumulative experience as they relate to health and wholeness. Our mission includes assisting the global Christian church in fulfilling its mandate to promote health and healing among the nations.
This will include but not be limited to promoting, providing or partnering in the following activities:
Ongoing conferences related to the theme of health as mission.
Development of Best Practices in Global Health Missions.
Maintaining an online journal.
Research on the theme of health as mission.
Maintain an online resource center.
International workshops that have to do with health as mission.
Online classes as they relate to health from a Christian worldview.
Development of true partnerships cross-culturally as they relate to health as mission.
Online forum for an ongoing dialogue about a Christian understanding of health as mission.
Effective networking to achieve the necessary synergy needed to provide health care for all, as stated in the Alma Ata declaration of 1978.
Our History
The history of the Institute for Global Health, is in part, a short one but in part is an idea that has been peripherally on the minds of many who are involved in the complex work of health related missions for a very long time. God has always had the health of ALL peoples as a foremost concern. His Son of course exemplifies the approach we all wish we could more closely emulate. He and His disciples went about their work of preaching and healing without any dichotomy to their approach of announcing the coming of God’s kingdom to earth.
The history of “medical” missions is a long and storied one filled with much success but also dotted with failures as a dualistic view of caring for the world’s poor seeped into the approaches used to “heal” the sick. But recent thinking has begun to shift towards a more wholistic approach to ministry and many are thinking more critically about the approach used in their health related missions work.
2008 during a global health conference on the west coast started by Dr Peter Yorgin, discussions took place between several of the speakers (Mike Soderling, Peter Yorgin, Greg Seager, Grace Tazelaar, Arnie Gorske and Dan O’Neill) regarding what could be done collaboratively to help the Church think more deeply about health from a biblical perspective and assist her in applying that knowledge and understanding where most needed.
The initial work involved compiling a set of “Best Practices” for short term health related missions, spearheaded by Dr Arnold Gorske. The vision grew as it became apparent that something even more involved was being sought after by many.
The idea for “The Center for Health in Mission” was discussed with many well respected health related mission experts during a special meeting during the 2009 Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky and all were in agreement that such a center would be a valuable resource to anyone doing health related mission work.
2010 - the Center catalyzed the development of the Christian Journal for Global Health
2013 - the Center petitioned and was successful in convincing the Lausanne Movement to develop an Issue Network whose focus was global health.
2014 - it was decided a university affiliation would be beneficial prompting the Center Director, Mike Soderling, to move to Pasadena where he joined Frontier Ventures and began working with William Carey International University to develop what has now become the Institute for Global Health @ WCIU. The Center changes its name to Health for All Nations.
2018 - Health for All Nations catalyzes the development of a course patterned after the general Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course. Christian Global Health in Perspective has now been taught to learners all over the world with very positive reviews.
present plan:
Health for All Nations the network (HFAN.n) will continue developing within the context of the Lausanne Movement while also drawing in others from such groups as WEA and Micah Global.
Health for All Nations and innovation (HFAN.i) will continue to collaborate with the Ralph D Winter Launch Lab (innovation arm of Frontier Ventures) as we seek to help those working at the frontiers of mission address the complex challenges they are facing.
The majority of what has been HFAN will now morph into the Institute for Global Health @ WCIU. This will include the CJGH and the CGHiP course.
statement of Beliefs
We are in agreement with Lausanne Covenant. We agree the most common stated organizational are important. These would include, honesty, integrity, accountability, respect and excellence.
What we have identified as unique core values for this institute are the following:
Christlike Holism: Based on Christ’s example – His presence, His people being His hands and feet and caring for the whole person. This includes reaching out to the suffering and broken by the work of the Spirit through His people (Christ likeness). Scripture is the source of knowledge and wisdom (exegesis), and His people are responding to the call of the Lord. Shalom.
Disruptive Collaboration: Includes innovative action and a transformative process to generate change and think outside the box. It is community, holistic healthcare focused, including global public health, with cooperation from local governments, tribal groups, and/or people groups to create synergy. It would include aspects of health promotion and disease prevention, as well as creation care (ecological health), for the common good. It means finding ways to involve the churches and congregations as part of outreach for whole person care.
Democratization of Research: Realizing the value of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. We need to be listening to and encouraging the story and lived experience of all peoples. It includes being open to wisdom from outside Christianity, such as knowledge from researchers and experts, and being willing to learn from others. It also includes choosing research projects that allows non-researchers to build their skills. Other concepts include ownership, participation, facilitation, and accessibility.
Building Capacity: Equipping and empowering people to survive and thrive in a world that is everchanging. This, in part, can be done by looking for ways for new disciples to take ownership over time with less intervention from the outside. Part of this includes passing on the vision for Christlike holism, collaboration, advocacy, and research to the next generation.
Advocacy Leadership: The ability to communicate ideas to inspire and inform others while focusing on teamwork and creating a safe space. The focus would be on issues of justice, and equity, especially for the vulnerable, displaced, marginalized, and the unreached. There would be overlap with Christlike holism, since the goals would be to include compassion, care, empathy, and sympathy in all interactions.